My Experience On the Anabolic Diet

Nutrition
1922

[quote]zdrax wrote:

I wouldn’t worry about the fish. Looking at your ratios of fat, I’d try to get an even split between the three types. An over-preponderence of saturates in comparison to monos and polys can be detrimental to fat loss. Remember your fish oils!

With regard to energy, encourage her to push through it. I found my sleep requirements increased dramatically during the “break-in” phase and have since leveled out. Also, it’s easy to undereat on this diet. It could be as simple as her not ingesting a sufficient caloric load. [/quote]

Cool, thanks for that. I guess I’ll really start pounding the fish oils. As for the girlfriend, as soon as she looked in the mirror this morning, she stopped complaining.

1923

I tried the AD for about 1.5 months. I lost some fat but my strength levels also declined. In all fairness, maybe I didnt follow it correctly. My carb levels were consistantly under 40g active carbs (usually under 30) and I carbed up on the weekends (however, I didnt have MASSIVE carb loads and never really experienced the incredible pump people talk about.) In the end I went back to a more moderate carb approach. I just wasnt clicking in the gym and my strength levels declined sharply which sucked. I read every bit of information around the internet about the AD and Rob Faigins NHE. I really believe they work but my strength loss told me otherwise.

From my research around the web, the general critique of the lower carb cyclic diets is that there just isnt enough carbs to fuel intense exercise. These diets do seem effective at stripping body fat, but it doesnt seem that you can go as hard in the gym (which was basically my experience.) The other critique is that too much emphasis is placed on Growth Hormone (GH). Rob Faigin seems to think it is massively anabolic, while others tend to disagree.

I havnt given up on the AD/NHE yet. I’ll probably try it again, but my strength losses just scared me too much.

1924

[quote]AceDeuce wrote:
I tried the AD for about 1.5 months. I lost some fat but my strength levels also declined. In all fairness, maybe I didnt follow it correctly. My carb levels were consistantly under 40g active carbs (usually under 30) and I carbed up on the weekends (however, I didnt have MASSIVE carb loads and never really experienced the incredible pump people talk about.) In the end I went back to a more moderate carb approach. I just wasnt clicking in the gym and my strength levels declined sharply which sucked. I read every bit of information around the internet about the AD and Rob Faigins NHE. I really believe they work but my strength loss told me otherwise.

From my research around the web, the general critique of the lower carb cyclic diets is that there just isnt enough carbs to fuel intense exercise. These diets do seem effective at stripping body fat, but it doesnt seem that you can go as hard in the gym (which was basically my experience.) The other critique is that too much emphasis is placed on Growth Hormone (GH). Rob Faigin seems to think it is massively anabolic, while others tend to disagree.

I havnt given up on the AD/NHE yet. I’ll probably try it again, but my strength losses just scared me too much.[/quote]

I don’t think your findings are odd at all. Poliquin, DiPasquale, even McDonald agree some people will just never adapt. Poliquin has his famous quote that 20% of all people do well with carbs, and that around 20% of the population is fast-twitch dominant. Coincidence?

I still think there’s a lot of merit to following a moderate carb approach. Using “paleo” diet principals derived from DiPasquale’s, Poliquin’s, even Berardi’s work, minimizing starchy carbs and systematically reintroducing them can give you a good guage on your tolerance.

To be honest, I think most people could follow a higher carb diet and do alright. I think there’s been way too much misinformation thrown around about post-workout nutrition. I, like DH and others, have been heavily influenced by Dave Barr’s “debunking” of PWO myths. I think it’s one of the most important articles on T-Nation.com to be completely honest.

Lastly, embrace your carb loads on your next go around. Some individuals who are “attuned” to carbs are going to be able to eat absolutely ridiculous amounts of carbs before they spillover. The hardest thing about this diet, I think, is undereating. It’s not any biochemical or physiological manipulation that holds people back, it’s the sheer quantity of food you need to consume. Without carbs kicking your appetite into gear, this diet can be brutal for those who chronically undereat, and perfect for those who have a predisposition to overeat.

Food for thought :slight_smile:

1925

[quote]AceDeuce wrote:
I tried the AD for about 1.5 months. I lost some fat but my strength levels also declined. In all fairness, maybe I didnt follow it correctly. My carb levels were consistantly under 40g active carbs (usually under 30) and I carbed up on the weekends (however, I didnt have MASSIVE carb loads and never really experienced the incredible pump people talk about.) In the end I went back to a more moderate carb approach. I just wasnt clicking in the gym and my strength levels declined sharply which sucked. I read every bit of information around the internet about the AD and Rob Faigins NHE. I really believe they work but my strength loss told me otherwise.

From my research around the web, the general critique of the lower carb cyclic diets is that there just isnt enough carbs to fuel intense exercise. These diets do seem effective at stripping body fat, but it doesnt seem that you can go as hard in the gym (which was basically my experience.) The other critique is that too much emphasis is placed on Growth Hormone (GH). Rob Faigin seems to think it is massively anabolic, while others tend to disagree.

I havnt given up on the AD/NHE yet. I’ll probably try it again, but my strength losses just scared me too much.[/quote]

I agree, the AD really saps strength.

1926

Can a 150lb guy who has got skinny fat around my belly do well on this diet? I’m not a bodybuilder or powerlifet - jus tan average guy trying to look better. I do workout 5-6 days a week. I just want to get rid of the gut. I’ve been on a high carb\protein based clean recomp diet and I’ve seen some results but not what I would like. I’d like to recomp myself to about 160lbs all while loosing the fat and get lean.

1927

hey rc-
i started the diet at 155 24% body fat.so yes though i looked skinny,i was also skinny fat. i had the big ol belly,well not really big as in stick out i tend to get wide in the love handle type of way. i to worked out five days a week as well. i tried to eat clean ,sort of clean. paid attention most of the time to what i eat.not much of a veggie eater here so most plans are hard for me to follow.so anyways , i stumbled across this thread about a month ago,bought the book and have had great success thus far. im now 150 and 18% body fat. i feel much better and feel tighter really. im trying to get to say 160 but i want the body fat to be at around 12 % thats my goal.

1928

[quote]AceDeuce wrote:
I tried the AD for about 1.5 months. I lost some fat but my strength levels also declined. In all fairness, maybe I didnt follow it correctly. My carb levels were consistantly under 40g active carbs (usually under 30) and I carbed up on the weekends (however, I didnt have MASSIVE carb loads and never really experienced the incredible pump people talk about.) In the end I went back to a more moderate carb approach. I just wasnt clicking in the gym and my strength levels declined sharply which sucked. I read every bit of information around the internet about the AD and Rob Faigins NHE. I really believe they work but my strength loss told me otherwise.

From my research around the web, the general critique of the lower carb cyclic diets is that there just isnt enough carbs to fuel intense exercise. These diets do seem effective at stripping body fat, but it doesnt seem that you can go as hard in the gym (which was basically my experience.) The other critique is that too much emphasis is placed on Growth Hormone (GH). Rob Faigin seems to think it is massively anabolic, while others tend to disagree.

I havnt given up on the AD/NHE yet. I’ll probably try it again, but my strength losses just scared me too much.[/quote]

You forget that people burning fat and people burning CHO manage and spend carbs in a completely different way.

Also, weight lifting is a CHO demanding activity but one with a short duration. Carbs necessary to fuel it are a relatively small quantity, so even if you feel depleted between the loads, there are many tweaks to get small amounts on weekdays without leaving fat-burning mode.

People with similar problems at the beginning of the diet (you were only 1.5 months on it) are those who undereat. Well said by zdrax.

Another thing i often notice is that most people that failed on the AD, saw it as a diet and not lifestyle. Diets promise to do something in a small amount of time and then end. AD is not the kind of diet that one will lose/gain 10 lbs of fat/muscle in a month and then get back to “normal”.

Full adaptation may take sometime but in return the longer you follow the diet the bigger the benefits you reap.

Following the AD demands a different mindset than any other short-term diet.

1929

What happens when you stop the AD? Do you have to very slowly introduce carbs back? If you don’t do you gain fat?

1930

If you want to come off the AD I would follow an approach similar to how zdrax described a few pages back. Charles Poliquin has been on this diet or a variation for awhile and that seems like a very good way of brining carbs back in.

1931

Yup. Significantly increasing your polyunsaturate intake and focusing on lower-GI carbs can help you make the shift. I’ve always had a general philosophy - pick your energy source and stick to it. Either fat or carbs, not both.

Psychologically, it’s just harder to manage an isocaloric split. For those of us who respond best to low carbs, there’s no point in trying to tip toe around the carb sensitivity issue. The AD gives us endormorphically blessed, once fat and now skinny fat individuals a way to put on quality mass without getting overly sloppy. I just can’t handle post workout carbs - they send me into a feeding frenzy. The AD simplifies that whole equation for me, and makes eating so much easier and manageable.

I think there are better choices out there if you’re only interested in doing the AD short term. The AD takes awhile to set-up properly, given the two week break in period, the time it takes to become fat adapted etc. You’re looking at a minimum four weeks of adaptation before you really start “humming along” as DH put it. Really take to heart what posters on this thread are saying - they really know their stuff.

1932

[quote]g.anagno wrote:

Another thing i often notice is that most people that failed on the AD, saw it as a diet and not lifestyle. Diets promise to do something in a small amount of time and then end. AD is not the kind of diet that one will lose/gain 10 lbs of fat/muscle in a month and then get back to “normal”.

Full adaptation may take sometime but in return the longer you follow the diet the bigger the benefits you reap.

Following the AD demands a different mindset than any other short-term diet.[/quote]

You are right about ‘normal’. Most people consider eating different than they normally do ‘dieting’ and when they reach whatever goal they set, they go back to eating ‘normal’, and lose the results…hence, the ‘diet’ didn’t work for them.

1933

What are your personal experiences with gaining size and muslce on the diet?
Also, where can I get the ebook from?
My goals are to gain size with reduced fat intake.

1934

I’ve always done best on low-fat, high carb, low (ish) protein loads, that are “dry” in nature. It could be just some snazzy water redistribution, but I find bloat is minimized and overall body feel optimized when I stick to things like rice, pasta, bagels, etc. I don’t think adding fat in, per se, would be horribly detrimental, but I’ve always been one to pick my “energy” source and stick to it.

1935

[quote]BGB wrote:
What happens when you stop the AD? Do you have to very slowly introduce carbs back? If you don’t do you gain fat?[/quote]

Should be called the Anabolic Lifestyle, rather than diet. To me, it’s not really a diet…it’s just the way I eat. Why would one want to “come off” this style of eating?

1936

Just finishing a grilled burger with bacon, jack cheese, mayo & mustard. No bun of course.

That makes four burgers today, 8 eggs, 4 tbsp of olive oil, some fish oil, flaxseed oil, and protein shakes. I may need a few more pieces of bacon.

I swear it is nature’s perfect food.

1937

So I just started it today, a little unprepared due to the holiday weekend screwing over my normal food prep time on sunday. So I am kinda winging it this week, and adjusting daily as I get a feel for what I am eating and go over my food log.

Food log is here:
http://fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=LordRen

and just so I got everything right, break in phase is bw x 16 for cals? at 60% fat, 35% protein, 5% carbs?

At 195 lbs I am going for 3200 kcals, w/ 215g fat, 280g protein, and 40g carbs.

Also, and I will run back thru this thread tomorrow, what should my daily goal for fiber be to keep things running smoothly?

1938

[quote]AceDeuce wrote:
I tried the AD for about 1.5 months. I lost some fat but my strength levels also declined. In all fairness, maybe I didnt follow it correctly. My carb levels were consistantly under 40g active carbs (usually under 30) and I carbed up on the weekends (however, I didnt have MASSIVE carb loads and never really experienced the incredible pump people talk about.) In the end I went back to a more moderate carb approach. I just wasnt clicking in the gym and my strength levels declined sharply which sucked. I read every bit of information around the internet about the AD and Rob Faigins NHE. I really believe they work but my strength loss told me otherwise.

From my research around the web, the general critique of the lower carb cyclic diets is that there just isnt enough carbs to fuel intense exercise. These diets do seem effective at stripping body fat, but it doesnt seem that you can go as hard in the gym (which was basically my experience.) The other critique is that too much emphasis is placed on Growth Hormone (GH). Rob Faigin seems to think it is massively anabolic, while others tend to disagree.

I havnt given up on the AD/NHE yet. I’ll probably try it again, but my strength losses just scared me too much.[/quote]

The only problem I had with putting on strength and size was when I didn’t eat enough on the carb ups. You need the extra calories and carbs on these. I would relook at what you ate on the weekends and see if it measures up.

If I didn’t eat enough on the weekends, by Wednesday, my training would be shit, I would feel flat and have no stamina. This would usually happen when my weekend carbs only consisted of beers and rum and cokes.

1939

I think for extremely active individuals (i.e. athletes), a mid-week carb spike may be necessary to induce enough supercompensation to allow you to train all week long.

1940

[quote]zdrax wrote:
I think for extremely active individuals (i.e. athletes), a mid-week carb spike may be necessary to induce enough supercompensation to allow you to train all week long.[/quote]

For some, yes. You have to remember that the people who truly excell on this style of eating, are ususally people who do best on fat and protein…like me. Honestly, I don’t even like the carb ups other than that they allow me to go out to dinner on the weekend.

In my case, I play Minor League Football…I play both sides of the ball, the entire game, only resting really on specials. My diet during the season is the same, except that I start my carb-up on saturday night after the game. I’ve obviously never needed the carbs for energy.

Then again, the reason that the AD is so great is that you can mold it to your specific needs…need a mid-week spike? Go for it. Only need one day of carb up? Do it. It’s flexibility is it’s strength.

1941

[quote]egcabanissiii wrote:
Just finishing a grilled burger with bacon, jack cheese, mayo & mustard. No bun of course.

That makes four burgers today, 8 eggs, 4 tbsp of olive oil, some fish oil, flaxseed oil, and protein shakes. I may need a few more pieces of bacon.

I swear it is nature’s perfect food.[/quote]

I might be wrong because i don’t know the exact quantities, but it seems that your saturated fat intake is too high compared to the other two kind of fats.

Given that you have mentioned a small issue about high LDL before in the thread, one could say that you’re walking on the edge…